1. Introduction
Scientific research spanning over more than four decades has confirmed the diverse pharmacological
effects of curcumin and established its ability to act as a chemopreventive agent as well as a potential
therapeutic agent against several chronic diseases [1–6]. Curcumin, having nearly a two centuries old
scientific history, is still attracting researchers from all over the world. Starting from 1815, when
curcumin was first isolated from turmeric, there were only a few reports till the 1970s on its chemical